1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a skate and preferably to an in-line skate having angularly mounted wheels. Preferably, the wheel arrangement and wheel mounting design allow the skate to be customizable and optimally angled to the skating surface. Axle force distribution, wheel hanger design and mounting plate configuration improve performance of the skate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Skates having a plurality of wheels aligned in-line on a common vertical plane are known. Typically, an in-line roller skate includes a one piece frame with parallel axle apertures formed through the frame. Axles for the wheels are disposed in the apertures along the one piece frame. In this way, all wheels are disposed in a similar vertical angular configuration. Some embodiments of in-line skates position the wheels of a skate at varying vertical heights. Some also include quick release features of the wheels.
In-line skates have the advantage over conventional roller skates of having the feel and behavior associated with ice skates. Several attempts have been made to improve performance of the in-line skate.
A skate wherein the wheels are angularly mounted to the skate is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,940 ('940 patent) that describes an in-line skate having wheels disposed in an angular relationship to the vertical plane. The wheels are affixed in a consistently even, closely spaced, relationship along one longitudinal axis. In one embodiment, an intermediate wheel is inclined in an opposite direction with respect to at least two angularly disposed wheels for allowing overlap between the wheels and making it possible to mount more wheels on the skate than is possible with conventional vertical in-line wheel mounting. This is referred to as a V-line skate. Alternatively, the wheels may be mounted so that they are angled in the same direction.
In the '940 patent, the mounting plate has a length shorter than the sole of the boot for attaching the closely spaced wheels to the bottom of the skate. Mounting brackets have a cantilevered support for a single wheel with the upper part of the bracket being permanently attached to the mounting plate. An axle is attached to the mounting bracket and a wheel attached to the axle. Reversal of wheel angle is effected by turning the mounting plate end for end and reinstalling the mounting plate on the boot.
The skate described in the '940 patent has at least the shortcomings that permanent hanger brackets prevent easy customization of the skate. Also, the mounting brackets and axle can contact the skating surface during extreme angulation of the skate towards the skating surface resulting in an unrecoverable slide. In addition, the alignment of closely spaced wheels along a singular common longitudinal axis on a shortened plate results in a shortened wheel base and instability of the skate.
It is desirable to provide a skate which can be easily and readily customized by the skater and can provide improved performance characteristics of the skate including during angulation of the skate towards the skating surface.